With the growth of renewables, the increased interconnection of European grids, the development of local energy initiatives, and the specific requirements on TSO–DSO cooperation as set forth in the different Network Codes and Guidelines, TSOs and DSOs face new challenges that will require greater coordination. The European Commission adopted legislative proposals on the energy market that promote cooperation among network operators as they procure balancing and other ancillary services and provide congestion management.
Therefore, this creates the need for a project such as INTERRFACE having the greater coordination between TSOs and DSOs as its core objective. The aforementioned measures encourage procurement of services at both the transmission and distribution level, recognizing that this will enable more efficient and effective network management and will increase the level of demand response and the capacity of renewable generation.
Digitalization is a key driver for coordination and active system management in the electricity grid, enabling TSOs and DSOs to optimize the use of distributed resources and ensure a cost-effective and secure supply of electricity but also empowers end-users to become active market participants, supporting self-generation and providing demand flexibility.
To support the transformation, the INTERRFACE project will design, develop and exploit an Interoperable pan-European Grid Services Architecture (IEGSA) to act as the interface between the power system (TSO and DSO) and the customers and allow the seamless and coordinated operation of all stakeholders to use and procure common services. State-of-the-art digital tools based on blockchains and big data management will provide new opportunities for electricity market participation and thus engage consumers into the INTERRFACE proposed market structures that will be designed to exploit Distributed Energy Resources.
Project Profile
- Duration: 2019 – 2022
- Project value: EUR 21.03 million (co-funded by the European Commission in the amount of EUR 16.81 million)
- Value of ELES's activities: EUR 123,750 (of which EUR 86,625 from grants)
- Source of funding: Horizon 2020 programme (European Commission)
- Partners: EUROPEAN DYNAMICS LUXEMBOURG SA, UNIVERSITY OF PIRAEUS RESEARCH CENTER, EUROPEAN NETWORK OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEM OPERATORS FOR ELECTRICITY AISBL, EMAX, INNOVATIVE ENERGY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, EMPOWER IM OY, CYBERNETICA, SOFTWARE COMPANY EOOD, C & G ZASTOPANJE, SVETOVANJE IN INŽENIRING D.O.O., CINTECH SOLUTIONS LTD, PREDUZECE ZA TELEKOMUNIKACIJSKE USLUGE REALAIZ D.O.O. BEOGRAD, EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE, RICERCA SUL SISTEMA ENERGETICO - RSE SPA, UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOFIA, BUDAPESTI MUSZAKI ES GAZDASAGTUDOMANYI EGYETEM, FUNDACION UNIVERSIDAD LOYOLA ANDALUCIA, UNIVERSITA POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE, RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN, RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE, TTY-SAATIO, ELERING AS, AKCIJU SABIEDRIBA AUGSTSPRIEGUMA TIKLS, FINGRID OYJ, ELEKTROENERGIEN SISTEMEN OPERATOR EAD, COMPANIA NATIONALA DE TRANSPORT ALENERGIEI ELECTRICE TRANSELECTRICA SA, ELES, REN - REDE ELECTRICA NACIONAL SA, EDP DISTRIBUICAO ENERGIA SA, CEZ DISTRIBUTION BULGARIA AD, DISTRIBUTIE ENERGIE OLTENIA, ELEKTRO LJUBLJANA, ELEKTRILEVI OU, ELENIA OY, E.ON DEL-DUNANTULI ARAMHALOZATI ZARTKORUEN MUKODO RESZVENYTARSASAG, NKM ARAMHALOZATI, AUTORITATEA NATIONALA DE REGLEMENTARE IN DOMENIUL ENERGIEI, ASTEA S.P.A., MYTILINEOS ANONIMI ETAIRIA - OMILOS EPICHEIRISEON, MIG 23 LTD, ALTEO PLC, BULGARSKA NEZAVISIMA ENERGIJNA BORSA EAD, AGENCIJA ZA ENERGIJO (AGEN)
- Participating countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain
- ELES's role: partner
- Website: www.interrface.eu
